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Besides being a delicious treat, dark chocolate contains plant chemicals called flavonoids, which may lower your risk for a number of health conditions, including cancer and heart disease. It also contains serotonin and precursors to serotonin, so it may increase your serotonin levels, which can be beneficial in improving your mood.

Serotonin

Serotonin is a neurotransmitter, or a chemical your nerves produce. It has a number of functions in the body, including helping to move food through your intestines, constricting blood vessels and influencing your mood. Normal blood levels of serotonin range from 101 to 283 nanograms per milliliter. Higher or lower levels could indicate health issues.

Serotonin in Dark Chocolate

Chocolate containing 85 percent cocoa has the most serotonin, with 2.9 micrograms per gram, and chocolate containing 70 to 85 percent cocoa has the most of the serotonin precursor L-tryptophan, with 13.3 micrograms per gram, according to a study published in "Journal of Chromatography A" in April 2012. Choose this type of chocolate if you are seeking health benefits from serotonin.

Dark Chocolate and Serotonin Levels

Dark chocolate may increase serotonin levels not only due to the serotonin and L-tryptophan it contains, but also because it contains carbohydrates in the form of sugar, which can signal the body to produce more serotonin. However, the effect of consuming sweets on serotonin levels tends to be short lived, lasting only one or two hours.

Potential Benefits

Dark chocolate consumption may decrease the effects of chronic fatigue syndrome, perhaps due to either the flavonoid content or the increase in serotonin levels since these are typically low in people who suffer from this condition, according to a study published in "Nutrition Journal" in 2010. Cancer patients who consumed 50 grams of dark chocolate for three days had fewer depression and anxiety symptoms, note the authors of a study published in 2012 in the "Malaysian Journal of Psychiatry." Another study, published in the "ASEAN Journal of Psychiatry" in 2011, found that trainee nurses who consumed 50 grams of dark chocolate for three days had fewer symptoms of anxiety, stress and depression.